


surprise me and order something different.

by lonelyheartsclub_com



Series: mmu aus!! [2]
Category: Murder Most Unladylike Series - Robin Stevens
Genre: M/M, coffee shop au!!, they're trying their best ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28132257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lonelyheartsclub_com/pseuds/lonelyheartsclub_com
Summary: bertie wells is ready to throw the towel in at his new job, so it looks like he owes alfred cheng a tenner. the only thing making him feel better is a customer named harold mukherjee, who's an absolute delight. he owes alfred another tenner, though, because he wants to ask harold out.
Relationships: Harold Mukherjee/Bertie Wells
Series: mmu aus!! [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2060892
Kudos: 8





	surprise me and order something different.

Bertie paced in the back room nervously whilst Alfred and Amanda sat next to each other on the table next to him. They gave each other a look, and Bertie wanted to get defensive. So what if he liked Harold? It wasn't his fault that Harold had dimples, or that he ordered the same disgusting drink everyday, or that Bertie found his stupid Londoner accent absolutely adorable, was it?

Maybe that last one was his fault, but it was just so adorable how he said, "Innit!" whenever he agreed with something Bertie had to say-

Okay, so maybe he owed Alfred that tenner. They had made a bet the first time Harold had come into the cafe they worked about, about 2 months ago. 

_"Bet £10 you're gonna end up asking him out, Wells. You were absolutely drooling over him!"_

_"Fuck off, Alfred! I'm not going to ask him out, so you're on."_

Ever since then, Bertie's crush on Harold had gradually gotten worse. It was when he started noticing things like the fact that he had dimples, the fact that he ordered the same disgusting drink every day, and that his Londoner accent was absolutely bloody adorable. Over the past two months, they had struck up a friendship of sorts. 

"Bertie, if you're going to ask him out, just do it." Amanda Price said, putting her hand on his shoulder. Bertie blinked for a moment, and he could see Stephen Bampton in his mind's eye. He was shouting at Bertie, like he usually did. 

_"What the fuck is wrong with you, Bertie? Just look me in the eyes and say you love me, and there won't be any issue!" He gripped Bertie's chin with his index finger and thumb, hard, and he forced Bertie to look him in the eye._

_"Tell me what I deserve to hear."_

Bertie shook his head. "What if he turns out to be like Stephen? I never want to face anything like that again."

Amanda put both her hands on both of his shoulders, but she didn't look him in the eyes. "If that is the case, Albert, you are to come straight to Henry, Alfred and I, alright? We'll give him what for."

Bertie smiled reluctantly. "Alright, 'Manda. But I'm holding you to that." he warned. Amanda pushed him out of the back room, and he almost tripped over his own to feet to get to the serving counter. 

He steadied himself and looked up to see Harold staring right at him, his dark eyes burning a hole through Bertie. 

"Alright there, clutz?" Harold asked, but Bertie could tell there wasn't any malice behind it. But yet it still reminded him of Stephen. 

_"For fuck's sake, Bertie! Are you demented or something? Why are you so clumsy?" Stephen pulled him up by the lapels of his shirt._

_"Stephen, please, I'm-"_

_"I don't want to hear your petty excuses, Bertie!" he flinched as Stephen's hand came down on him._

"Bertie? Are you alright? You kind of just...zoned out? I don't quite know how to put it."

"Perfectly fine! Now, what can I get for you today?" Before Harold could answer and say, "the usual," Bertie held a finger up. 

"Surprise me and order something different for once." Bertie teased. 

Harold smirked and started an extensive order. "Can I get a caramel macchiato with a pump of "will you please ask me out?" and a side of "you don't realise how much i want to kiss you right now"?" Bertie wrote that all down, just to gaze at Harold's lazy smirk and then down at the notebook, where Bertie had written down what he'd actually said. Bertie spluttered and went an embarrassing shade of red. 

"How about a pump of, "i'd kiss you but we're in public"?"

Harold smiled, and Amanda and Alfred walked out of the back room at the same time. "What a coincidence that you guys need a place to be alone right now!" Alfred said, gesturing to the back room and then to Bertie and Harold rather violently. 

Harold raised an eyebrow, but Bertie whispered, "Well? I have to leave in 10 minutes to go work my shift at my aunt and uncle's flower shop, so this is your chance to tell me how you feel." 

Standing in the back room was awkward. Bertie was sure he had red blotches all over his face and Harold seemed to be looking at everything but Bertie. 

Bertie breathed in, and then out. "Harold, now that I know you feel the same way, this is going to be a hell of a lot easier to say. I fancy you. That sounds painfully British, I know, but hear me out. Ever since the day you walked into the cafe, I've considered you attractive. Well, nice to look at. Amanda and Alfred said I find you hot and I should just say it how it is, but- Sorry. Getting off track. Anyways, over the past few months, I've realised that my crush on you has gotten rather severe. So, Harold, will you go out with me?"

He nodded. "Of course I will. But I have to say, I've never received such a dramatic boyfriend proposal in my life."

Bertie'e eyes widened in horror and he could feel his cheeks heating again. "I-"

Harold broke out into a grin that Bertie wanted to take a picture of so it would last forever. "Just joking, Wells."

Bertie looked at his watch. 10 to. "I have to go now, but uh, catch you later?"

Harold nodded and ran his hand through his hair. Bertie shifted closer to him and kissed him softly. 

"For the road." And he walked out of the cafe with a spring in his step. 


End file.
